French Jihadist Arrested in Jewish Museum Shootings

BRUSSELS/PARIS -- Police now have a suspect in custody in the deaths of an Israeli couple and a French woman in last month's shooting at the Jewish museum in Brussels.

The suspected gunman, 29-year-old Mehdi Nemmouche, was a French jihadist who fought in the Syrian civil war and then came home.

Nemmouche is exactly what European officials have feared would happen when Muslim radicals returned from fighting in Syria. There are hundreds more like him.

"Since the beginning of the jihad in Syria, many people have been concerned and said these people, when they will come back, they will fight jihad in Europe, and that's what's happening," French Islam expert Guy Milliere told CBN News.

When Nemmouche was arrested in Marseilles, he had guns, a large quantity of ammo and a video claiming responsibility for the May 24 attack.

The fact that police have a suspect in custody is little comfort for Belgium's Jews, many of whom worried this kind of thing would happen and worry it will happen again.

European leaders have helped create a surge in anti-Semitism by allowing, and in some cases encouraging, the spread of radical Islam in Europe and by continually demonizing Israel in the media.

"In Brussels, in Belgium, in France, you cannot say 'dirty Jew' because it is prohibited by law, but you can say 'dirty Zionist,'" Joel Rubinfeld, of the Belgian League Against Anti-Semitism, told CBN News.

Many Jews, frightened they will be the next victims, are leaving Europe in increasing numbers.

Rubinfeld said European leaders need to act because a lot more violent jihadists, like Nemmouche, will be coming home, too.